Coaching

Why am I your future running coach?

Coaching has been in my blood almost all of my adult life. It’s what I do, and the transition to running coaching is a natural step that I have migrated to more recently. I have been a tennis coach for nearly 25 years so far, including at one point the Canterbury Regional Coach, developing national champions, along with running my own academy. I also became qualified as a Personal Trainer and worked with Canterbury Tennis as their Strength & Conditioning coach, working with their junior tennis champions. I even became a Canterbury Coach in Indoor Bowls after many years competing at the top level. I’ve worked freelance with PT clients, helping some with ‘couch to 10km’ and half marathon aspirations. Coaching is part of my DNA, it is what inspires and motivates me, especially when people reach their goals!

As a runner, I have run all distances from half marathon, marathons, and ultras. The first half of 2024 was my best year for ultra-distance with finishes at Old Ghost Ultra (85km), South Island Ultra (54km – winning my age group) and Krayzie’s Backyard Ultra (19 hours, 127km). I don’t claim to be the fastest or greatest runner (usually finishing in the top 10-25% of a field), but I know how to get the job done, and even coming from dark places mentally to get there!

A recent ‘dark place’ came from a severe back injury for over 2 years that put me in terrible condition both physically and mentally. In August 2023, as the back was finally healing, I set some goals to lose weight and get fitter. Running had always been my go-to for mental health and getting in shape but I was now too big to do it. Instead, it had to start with walking, hiking, eating well, and then eventually jogging. I worked really hard at this, unrelenting in pursuit of obtaining peak fitness and health and lost 34 kgs. Six months after starting this journey, I was on the start line of the Old Ghost Ultra with 85kms ahead of me. 10 hours and 24 seconds later I was back to being an ultra-runner!